#historicaldiscovery

On July 15, 1799, during Napoleon Bonaparte’s Egyptian Campaign, French soldiers made one of the most important archaeological discoveries in history. French Captain Pierre-François Bouchard discovered a large inscribed stone near the Egyptian town of Rosetta (modern Rashid) while work was being carried out on fortifications. The stone would later become known as the Rosetta Stone.

The mysterious artifact contained the same decree written in three scripts: Ancient Greek, Egyptian hieroglyphs, and Demotic Egyptian. Because scholars could read Greek, the text provided the crucial key needed to decipher hieroglyphs, a writing system that had been lost for centuries. Its discovery opened a new era in the study of ancient Egyptian history, culture, and civilization.

Although the Rosetta Stone was later taken by the British after the defeat of French forces in Egypt and placed in the British Museum, its importance remains worldwide. The work of scholars such as Jean-François Champollion transformed the stone into one of the most famous archaeological objects ever found.

In the final phase of the Neolithic and the subsequent Eneolithic period, a remarkable development of megalithic constructions emerged, a term derived from the Greek ("mégas" for large and "lithòs" for stone). These imposing structures, largely dedicated to worship and collective burials, bear witness to the ingenuity and spirituality of ancient civilizations.

Menhir: Towering Monuments of Symbolic Meaning

Menhirs, derived from Breton ("men" for stone and "hir" for long), are tall monoliths driven into the ground, often marking burial sites. Their height, ranging from 2-3 meters to 6 meters, can reach extraordinary peaks, as highlighted by the Breton menhirs of Kerloas and Locmariaquer. These monoliths can be isolated or arranged in straight or circular alignments, often oriented in precise astronomical directions. In Carnac, Brittany, a complex of about 3000 menhirs extends in parallel rows, oriented westward, creating a captivating panorama over a kilometer long.

Dolmen: Innovative Trilithic System in Funerary Architecture

The dolmen, derived from Breton ("doul" or "tol" for table and "men" for stone), constitutes a form of funerary architecture. Composed of two or more stone blocks driven into the ground, surmounted by a horizontal slab, this trilithic construction system represents mankind's first use in this regard. The dolmen, primarily sepulchral, can be an individual or collective tomb, often characterized by an access corridor. Initially covered by stone or earth tumuli, the oldest dolmens in Italy are found in Sardinia, Apulia, and the Alpine region for the Copper Age.

Cromlech: Concentric Monuments of Astronomical Significance

Cromlechs, derived from Breton ("crom" for round and "lech" for stone), represent the monumental application of the trilithic system. These consist of series of dolmens arranged in concentric circular figures. Widespread in Neolithic and Eneolithic Europe, cromlechs originally served to define the lunar cycle, later adapting to indicate the movement of the Sun and the progression of seasons. In addition to their practical utility, these sites were spaces for collective ceremonies, including funeral, agricultural, and fertility rites.

Allée Couverte: Collective Funerary Constructions in France

Another application of the dolmen, particularly common in France, is the Allée couverte ("covered alley"). These collective funerary constructions are composed of stone slabs supported by vertical structures or dry-stone walls, sometimes reaching considerable dimensions. A notable example is the Allée couverte du Mougau, erected between the end of the Neolithic and the beginning of the Eneolithic, which stands out for the presence of engravings. The structure, 14 meters long, has a north-south orientation, with a northern entrance and a chamber at the southern end, likely preceded by a vestibule.

In Conclusion

శాస్త్రవేత్తల సరికొత్త ఆవిష్కరణతో ప్రాచీన నాగరికతల రహస్యాలు వెలుగులోకి!